Automatic weft-replenishing loom.



1. R. FITTON. AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5,1913.

LIQGAQL Patented July 13, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

COLUMIHA PLANOCIRAPH CO.,WASHINDTON, n. c.

i. R. FITTON. 7

AUTOMATIC WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5,1913.

Patented July 13, 1.915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 6 4 8 LMAQK COLUMBIA PLANUGRAP-H 120., WASHJAGTON, D.c.

ornron.

JOHN R. rrr'ron, on wonons'rnn, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIcnon T0 cnonr'ron &KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC WEFT-REPLENISHING- LOOM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Application filed June 5, 1913. Serial No. 771,779.

the ordinary type, there is a'weft replenishing magazine at one end ofthe loom, either of the stationary, or rotary type, for holding theextra supply of bobbins or filling. carriers. Said magazine may containbobbins or filling carriers of the same color or character, or ofdifferent colors or characters,

and from the magazine a bobbin or filling carrier of the desired coloror character is transferred to the active shuttle, when the shuttle isin proper position below the transferrer, on the substantial orpractical exhaustion of filling in the active shuttle, and the depletedbobbin in the shuttle is pushed through the central longitudinal openingin the shuttle, and through an opening in the bottom of the shuttle box,and dropped into a suitable receptacle, all in the usual and well knownway. In this class of looms there is an opening through the shuttlebinder, and also an opening through the front side or wall of theshuttle, for the entrance of the filling detector or feeler, which isadapted to enter through said openings and engage the filling in theactive shuttle, to detect the substantial exhaustion of the filling, andon the substantial exhaustion of the filling put into operation the weftreplenishing mechanism. c

For the successful operation of the class of looms referred to, it isnecessary that the shuttle, after it has enteredthe shuttle box at themagazine end of the loom, should be properly positioned relative to thetransferrer of the transfer mechanism, which transfers a bobbin from themagazine into the active shuttle, so that the bobbin will be properlytransferred into the shuttle to take the place of the depleted bobbintherein, and cause the discharge of the depleted bobbin, and it is alsonecessary that the shuttle should be properly positioned in the shuttlebox at the magazine end of the loom, so that the opening inthe frontside or wall of the shuttle shall be in alinement with the opening inthe shuttle binder on the shuttle box, to permit of the entrance of thefilling detector on feeler through said openings, to engage the fillingin the active shuttle.

In case the active shuttle is not properly positionedv in the shuttlebox at the magazine end of the loom, the bobbin, transferred from themagazine into the shuttle, will not, at its butt end, pass between theholding jaws in the shuttle, or its tip end may engage with the shuttlebody and tip the bobbin, to prevent the proper transfer thereof intotheshuttle; and further, if the active shuttle 1s not properlypositioned in the shuttle box at the magazine end of the loom,

the filling detector or feeler cannot enter through the opening in theshuttle'binder, and in the front side or wall of the shuttle,

to engage the filling, and put into operation the weft replenishingmechanism, on the substantial exhaustion of filling in the activeshuttle. I p

The object of my invention is to provide a shuttle positioningmechanism, particularly for looms of the class referred to above,

.which mechanism is of simple construction, and can be applied to loomsof ordinary construction, and is combined with the lay, and the pickerstick, and the picker.

In the use of my improvements in shuttle positioning mechanism forlooms, the ordinary shuttle binder may have less pressure on the'shuttleentering the box than o-rdi narily, and the picker stick and picker maymove farther'toward the outer end of the shuttle box than ordinarily,toallow the shuttle to enter farther into the box than ordianism, and ashuttle box, and a shuttle, properly positioned under the transferrer,

and a detached part of the feeler mechanism. Fig. 2 is an end view ofthe parts shown in Fig.1, looking in the direction of arrow 'a,

same figure; some of the parts are left off in I this figure. Fig. 3 isa front view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofarrow 6, same figure. Fig. 4 corre sponds to Fig. 3, but shows adifferent position of some of the parts, when the lay is in its backposition, and, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the operating cam, detached.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is a part of the loom side or end frame,2 the lay, 3 the lay sword, 4 the hand rail, 5 the crank connector tothe crank shaft, not shown.

6 is a stationary shuttle box, carried on the lay at the magazine end ofthe loom; 7 is the shuttle binder, on the front side of the shuttle box,and pivotally mounted at its outer end.

8 is the binder spring, attached at its outer end to the end of the lay.

9 is the picker stick, carrying the picker 10. The picker stick 9,carrying the picker 10, is allowed to move farther outwardly at itsupper end than in the ordinary construction, so as to allow the shuttleto enter farther into the box and beyond its normal position.

11 is a stand bolted to the loom frame 1, and supporting, in thisinstance a magazine, partially shown in section at 12, for holding theextra bobbins, only one, 13, of which is shown.

14 is a rotary shaft supported in suitable bearings 11 on the stand 11,and having fast thereon the transferrer arm 15, carrying the transferrer15, under which the bobbin from the magazine, to be transferred into theactive shuttle to take the place of the substantially exhausted bobbin,is placed at the proper time.

16 is the filling detector or feeler. 17 is the shuttle, which has acentral opening therethrough for the entrance and passage of a bobbin,also an opening 17 in the front side or wall thereof, see Fig. 4, forthe entrance of the filling detector, which also passes through anopening 7 in the shuttle binder 7.

All of the above mentioned parts may be of the usual and well knownconstruction in automatic weft replenishing looms, except that thepicker stick and the picker are allowed to move farther outwardly attheir upper end as above stated.

I will now describe my improvements for positioning the shuttle. In thisinstance on the cross girt l of the loom side 1, is secured, by twobolts 18, a stand 19, having on its upper end, and preferably madeintegral therewith, a plate 19, which is made inclined or cam shaped onits outer edge, the incline extending from the rear end to the front endof said plate. A bracket or stand 20 is secured to the front side of thelay sword 3, in this instance by two bolts 21. The outer end of thestand 20 carries a stud 22, on which is pivotally mounted the hub 23 ofa lever 23. The lever 23 has on its lower end an offset arm 23", seeFig. 2, which carries a stud 24, on which is loosely mounted a roll 25,which roll travels on the cam shaped edge or face 19 of the plate 19.

The other end of the lever 23 carries a stud 24, on which is looselymounted a rod head 25, which has secured thereto one end of anadjustable rod 26.

The rod 26 is supported and has a longitudinal movement in two guidestands 27, secured in this instance to the underside of the end of thelay 2. The outer end of the rod 26 is in this instance bent, and carriesan extension or plate 26 thereon, which extends back of and engages thepicker stick 9. On the rod 26 is mounted a helically coiled expansionspring 28, which extends between a collar 29, loosely mounted on the rod26, on the outer side of the inner guide stand 25, and a second collar30, adjustable on the rod 26 and attached thereto by a screw 31. Thespring 28 act-s to move the rod 26 outwardly and hold the roll 25 incontact with the cam plate 19.

From the above description in connection with the drawings, theoperation of my improvements in shuttle positioning mechanism will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art. Then the shuttle isthrown from the opposite end of the loom, not shown, when the lay is onits backward stroke, it will enter the stationary shuttle box on the layfarther than the properposition of the shuttle, the tension on theshuttle binder permitting of this, and the further outward position ofthe picker stick and picker also permitting of this, as shown in Fig. 4.As the lay moves forward, the roll 25, carried on the lever 23, willtravel on the inclined face 19 of the plate 19, and cause the lever 23to be moved inwardly at its upper end, and cause the rod 26, pivotallyattached to the upper end of said lever 23, to be also moved inwardly,against the action of the spring 28, and through the engagement of theplate or extension 26 on the rod 26, with the picker stick 9, cause saidpicker stick 9, carrying the picker 10, to be moved inwardly, from theposition shown in Fig. 4, to the position shown in Fig. 3, and throughthe engagement of the picker 10 with the shuttle 17 move inwardly saidshuttle to properly position it to receive a bobbin 13 from themagazine, which bobbin is placed below the transferrer 15 on thetransferrer arm 15, and also properly position the shuttle to have thefeeler opening 17 in the shuttle, in alinement with the opening 7 in theshuttle binder 7, for the entrance of the filling detector or feeler 16.On the return rearward stroke of the lay, the roll 25, travelingrearwardly on the plate 19, will allow the spring 28 to expand and holdthe roll 25 in contact with said plate 19, and also move outwardly therod 26 to its extreme outward position, as shown in Fig. 4, all as willbe readily understood by those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that the details of construction of myimprovements may be varied if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 2 In a shuttle positioning mechanism forautomatic weft replenishing looms, the combination with the lay, and thepicker stick, of a longitudinally moving rod, supported in stands on thelay, and adapted to engage the picker stick at one end, and a springconnected with said rod to move it in one direction, a lever pivotallyconnected at one end to the other end of said rod, and pivotally mountedon a stand on the lay sword, and a roll on the other end of said lever,adapted to engage the cam shaped edge on a plate, and said plate,secured to a portion of the loom frame, the engagement of said roll withsaid cam causing the positive return of the shuttle to its normalposition in the shuttle box, as the lay moves forward, after the shuttlehas entered the shuttle box beyond its normal position.

JOHN R. FITTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. DEWEY, MINNA HAAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

, Washington, I). C.

